Can't install Windows XP

Before buying Parallels, I downloaded the trial version and while I had no problem installing Parallels, it is impossible to install Windows XP.
I've followed the instructions to uninstall then reinstall, but the result is the same:

Windows starts to install but after a few minutes it stops and Parallels displays the message "Stopped".
If I click on the Windows screen, I see:

640 KB Base Memory
524288 KB Extended Memory
Boot from hard drive...

and that's it.

If I try to create a disk image with Disk Utility, I get the message "Permission denied".
Where do I go from here?
I'm on a brand new iMac with plenty of Ram.

René

 

New Install...Same Result

Brand New Mac Book Pro, new downloaded version of Parallels and brand new copy of Windows XP Professional. Parallels seemed to install fine. When installing Windows the install loads all the drivers and begins to start windows and then gives me a blue screen and all I cdan read is "Your Computer has detected a problem" and then rotates the parallels screen back to the home screen and it references "Stopped"

Now when I start parallels it is in a suspended mode and when you activate it the window inside reads:

640 KB Base Memory
524288 KB Extended Memory
Boot from hard drive...

Everything was new....any ideas?

joe

 

New MacBook Pro
Installed BootCamp 1.3 + Windows XP SP2
This worked fine.

Installed Parallels 3.0 using BootCamp partition.
Windows boots, but I can't use the mouse. Using Ctrl-Alt frees the mouse to be used by OS X, but I cannot move the mouse cursor using the trackpad.

Someone suggested using a USB mouse. Don't have one handy. Can't I use the trackpad for this?

- Tim

 

I tried to bring up Parallels again, and this time, the mouse is working; however, Windows is telling me that I need to activate the OS even though I did this already in Boot Camp. When I try to use the same license key, Windows will not allow it. This problem is not listed in the user manual (although it does say that re-activation will be required).

- tim

 

Mouse works on second boot in Parallels, but Windows keeps asking me to activate with a second license. I used my only license key to activate the BootCamp partition. Why do I need to activate again from the same disk using Parallels?

- Tim

 

One possible solution

JESPN,
I had the exact same issue and a similar config as you (4GB RAM, Parallels Build 3214).

I actually noticed that during the windows XP SP2 initial install, I got a screen that says "loading windows" after it does its initial driver load sequence from the install CD. This screen is immediately followed by a blue screen of death of some kind that I can't read because Parallels flips into configuration mode too quickly.

The solution was to specifically create a .cdr disk image (not an ISO or DMG) of the XP install disk using Disk Utility. I then pointed the Virtual Machine's CD-ROM at the image file and it ran smoothly.

GL,
Adam

 

Tim,

Being a virtual machines, Bootcamp and Parallels look to be different machines to WinXP.

Even changes in hardware in a PC (a new motherboard, maybe even a new HDD) will cause this.

You need to call Microsoft Support and get a new key. Safest thing may be to tell them that you've installed some new hardware and when later had to install Win the key did not work. Talking about going from Bootcamp to Parallels may confuse them.

Phil